The 1991 amendment modified Article V of the Constitution, regarding the status of members of the Board. From the 27th session of the General Conference (1993), the Executive Board consists of Member States rather than of persons (26 C/Resolution 19.3).

Participation in subsidiary organs

Organs elected by the General Conference

Executive BoardMember (Term expires : 2015)Intergovernmental Council of the "Management of Social Transformations" ProgrammeMember (Term expires : 39th General Conference)Intergovernmental Council of the International Programme for the Development of CommunicationMember (Term expires : 39th General Conference)Intergovernmental Bioethics CommitteeMember (Term expires : 38th General Conference)

Celebration of anniversaries

The first sociologist and historical critic, Abder-Rahman Ibn Khaldūn was born in Tunisia in May 27, 1332, in an Arab family from Andalusia. Educated in the mosque Zituna, he occupied high public functions in Grenada, Tlemcan, Annaba, Fez, he taught in Cairo, met Tamerlan in Damascus and became Cadi malikite in Cairo where he died at 74 years on March 17, 1406.
A great Arab historian, geographer, economist and thinker, defined like a genius “solitary star of obscure centuries”, Ibn Khaldūn is considered the founder of the sociology and the father of the historical critics. Thinker of exceptional vigorousness, Ibn Khaldūn transcended his time, XIV century, and the country where he was born, Tunisia. Ibn Khaldūn, reflecting on the forms of political power in the North Africa of his time, and using large-scale comparisons, produced an analysis of relations between nomads and sedentary populations and between social and political forms of collective life, which continues to inform the most modern political theory. According to A.J.Toynbee, his work “Muqaddima” (Prolegomena) is still “the greatest work in its category, ever created by somebody, in any time and in any place”. Sharply in advance on his time, he collided with the general incomprehension and only in the XIX century his work begun to be recognised. One would owe him the definition of the mission of the history and the research of the evolution of human societies where he detected the existence of an ascendant cycle of rising authority followed by a descendant cycle and decadence. However, the universal impact of this Arab precursor of the dialogue between cultures and civilisations, dictates us to keep highlighting his contribution, inscribed on a universal flow which continues till nowadays.

Eight hundredth anniversary of the death of the philosopher Muhammad ibn Rushd -known as Averroës (Morocco and Tunisia) (1998).

Averroës, a physician and jurist of renown, is also considered to be one of the greatest representatives of Muslim philosophy. In his work, he sought above all to reconcile Aristotelian logic with respect for the Scriptures, reason with revelation, and philosophy with religion.
Averroës owes his fame to his great commentary on the work of Aristotle, whose implications he explored further, and to which he added considerably. He was known in Europe for that reason as the ‘great commentator’, and exerted a decisive influence on the development of European thought.
Averroës represents a true bridge between the Islamic and European civilizations. This commemoration is in keeping with the policy that UNESCO seeks to promote, namely, shedding new light on the contribution of Islamic civilization to the scientific heritage of humanity.
The Tunisian authorities wish this commemoration to be an occasion to bring home to each individual the significance of a great encounter between the civilizations. For that purpose, they are planning to organize: an official gathering to pay tribute to the Tunisian Academy of Sciences, the publication of a special issue of the Tunisian journal of Andalusian studies, an exhibition of the philosopher’s manuscripts, the issuing of a series of stamps, etc. The Moroccan authorities are planning to organize: a symposium on Averroës, a play on the philosopher’s work, a classical Arab music festival, a competition for the best portrait or statue of the philosopher, a series of public lectures, etc.